Amber didn't slow down.
She dragged Nikki through corridors that
seemed to grow darker with every step, the air thickening, pressing against Nikki's lungs like it didn't want her there.
"Amber—slow down!" Nikki protested, struggling to keep up. "Where are we even going?!"
No answer.
Only the sharp echo of hurried footsteps and the faint, unsettling hum in the air.
Then—
They stopped.
Before a door Nikki had never seen before.
Tall.
Black.
Covered in faint, shifting sigils that seemed to crawl across its surface like living shadows.
Nikki's stomach dropped.
"I've never seen this room before…"
Amber didn't respond.
She simply pushed the door open.
The air inside was colder.
Heavier.
Ancient.
The room was vast, lit only by dim, flickering flames that cast long, distorted shadows across the walls. At the far end—
A throne.
And seated upon it—
Sabrina.
Still.
Composed.
Watching.
Beside her stood Alisson.
Straight-backed, calm—
Waiting.
Amber didn't hesitate.
She pulled Nikki forward, then dropped to one knee.
Nikki barely had time to process before instinct kicked in.
She followed.
"My queen," Amber said, bowing her head.
Nikki lowered hers as well. "Mother."
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
Nikki lifted her head slightly—
And her eyes caught something.
Alisson's wrist.
A glow.
Emerald green.
Different.
The sigil there pulsed softly, its pattern unlike hers—but just as alive.
Nikki frowned.
Confusion deepening—
But before she could speak—
Amber did.
"My queen, Nikki has also received the invitation."
Sabrina exhaled slowly.
A quiet, tired sigh.
"It seems it has been given to everyone who is supposed to attend."
Nikki looked between them.
Amber.
Sabrina.
Then Alisson.
Completely lost.
"Um… am I the only one who is completely lost to what's going on here?" she asked, her voice laced with frustration and unease. "Why did I wake up to this on my hand—and why does Alisson also have one on her hand too?"
She pointed at Alisson's wrist.
"And why is Amber panicking like it's the end of the world?"
Alisson's head snapped toward her.
Shock clear in her eyes.
"You don't know what this means?" she asked, disbelief creeping into her voice.
Nikki frowned. "Am I supposed to know?"
Alisson turned to Sabrina, her expression tightening.
"Mother, what's going on here? How does Nikki know nothing about the Nocturne Royal Ball?"
"Nocturne Royal Ball?" Nikki repeated, the name unfamiliar on her tongue.
Sabrina finally spoke.
Calm.
Measured.
"Yes. The sigils on both your wrists are invitations to the Nocturne Royal Ball."
Nikki stared at her.
A beat of silence.
Then—
"What is this Nocturne Royal Ball about?" she asked. "And why were we invited?"
Sabrina rose slowly from her throne.
The room seemed to shift with her movement.
Commanding attention.
Commanding silence.
"The Nocturne Royal Ball," she began, her voice steady, echoing faintly through the chamber, "also known as the Ball of Selection… or the Moonbound Ball… is the most sacred and politically charged event in the entire Underworld."
Nikki didn't interrupt.
She couldn't.
Something about the way her mother spoke—
Made it impossible.
"It is hosted once every few centuries," Sabrina continued, "or sooner, if the balance of power demands it. By the King… or in his absence… the Crowned Prince."
Nikki's fingers curled slightly at her sides.
The Crown Prince.
A flicker of unease stirred in her chest.
"The Ball serves many purposes," Sabrina went on. "It reaffirms the hierarchy of the Underworld. Displays power and allegiance among royal families. Announces engagements, alliances… succession."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"And more importantly… it exposes what is hidden."
A pause.
The air grew heavier.
"What appears to be a celebration," she said quietly, "is, in truth… a battlefield without weapons. Where a single mistake… can cost you your life."
Nikki's breath caught.
Sabrina continued, her voice unrelenting now.
"Only the highest-ranking beings are permitted entry. The King. The Crown Prince. Royal families. Demon princes and princesses. Ancient clans. Council members."
Her eyes flickered briefly to Nikki's wrist.
"Dormant demons are forbidden… unless personally invited."
The weight of those words settled heavily in the room.
"And no one of royal blood… may refuse."
Alisson stepped forward slightly.
"The Ball unfolds in phases," she added, her tone controlled but firm. "The Grand Entrance… where everyone appears in their true form. Status, power, bloodline—everything is on display."
Amber's grip tightened subtly at her side.
"Then comes the Moonbound Waltz," Alisson continued.
And for the first time—
There was something in her voice.
Unease.
"During the Waltz, everything changes. Identities are erased. Appearances altered. No one knows who anyone is."
Nikki's brows furrowed.
"That makes no sense—"
"It's not meant to," Amber cut in quietly.
Nikki turned to her.
Amber's gaze was fixed ahead.
Dark.
"The Underworld chooses your partner," she said. "Not you."
Nikki stilled.
A chill slid down her spine.
Sabrina spoke again.
"When the Waltz ends… everything is revealed."
Her voice softened—
But somehow felt more dangerous.
"Some discover enemies… some discover truths… and some form bonds they cannot escape."
A beat.
"After that… decisions are made."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Pressing.
Nikki stared at them.
Processing.
Failing to process.
Then—
She let out a breath.
"How does any of this have anything to do with me?" she asked, frustration breaking through. "I'm dormant, in case you all forgot."
Sabrina's gaze didn't waver.
"Your invitation was sent personally by the Crown Prince."
The words landed like a blow.
Nikki went still.
Her mind racing.
A memory surfaced.
Unwanted.
Unwelcome.
Princess Aria's birthday.
A deal.
A condition.
If you're still dormant by your next birthday… you become mine.
Her stomach dropped.
A cold, sinking feeling settling deep within her chest.
He isn't…
Her fingers curled tightly around her wrist.
He isn't planning to—
She looked up at Sabrina, eyes searching.
"Is he planning to make me his fiancée using this event?" she asked.
Sabrina didn't answer immediately.
But that hesitation—
Was answer enough.
"I'm not sure," she said finally. "But I have my suspicions."
Nikki's heart sank.
"When is this ball taking place?" she asked.
"Two weeks from now," Sabrina replied. "But before that… all invited princesses must go to the Serpentine Kingdom for a week."
"Why?" Nikki asked.
"To undergo training for the ball," Alisson answered.
Nikki let out a slow breath.
"I'm guessing it's mandatory."
"Of course it is," Alisson said.
Nikki closed her eyes briefly.
"...When are we leaving?"
"In two days."
Another pause.
Then Nikki straightened slightly.
Composed.
Controlled.
"I guess I ought to go get prepared," she said. "I'd like to take my leave now, Mother."
Sabrina nodded.
"You may go. Amber, accompany her."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Amber bowed.
They turned—
Walking toward the door.
"Nikki."
She stopped.
Turned back.
"Yes, Mother?"
Sabrina's gaze lingered on her.
Longer than necessary.
Something unspoken flickering in her eyes.
"Please… be careful, okay?"
Nikki gave a small smile.
"I will, Mother."
And with that—
She left.
Amber following close behind.
The door closed.
Silence returned.
Alisson turned slowly toward Sabrina.
"What?" Sabrina asked, noticing her stare.
Alisson tilted her head slightly.
"If I didn't know better," she said carefully, "I'd say you look nervous right now."
Sabrina's expression hardened.
"You look like you don't want Nikki to attend this ball," Alisson continued, her gaze sharp. "Like you're afraid something bad might happen."
"What nonsense are you saying?" Sabrina snapped.
Alisson lowered her head slightly.
"I suppose it's just my imagination then. Forgive my impudence, Mother. If you don't mind… I'd like to take my leave as well."
"You may go."
"Thank you, Mother."
She bowed—
And left.
The moment the door shut—
Sabrina exhaled.
Slow.
Unsteady.
Her hands—resting on the arms of her throne—
Were trembling.
She glanced down at them.
"…Thank goodness she didn't notice," she murmured under her breath.
But of course—
She was nervous.
Because Nikki had not stepped foot in the Serpentine Kingdom since that incident years ago.
And more than that—
This wasn't Nikki's first Nocturne Royal Ball.
But Nikki didn't remember that.
Sabrina's gaze darkened slightly.
Heavy with something deeper than fear.
Regret.
"I can only hope…" she whispered.
Her fingers tightened against the throne.
"…that this one won't end the way the last one did."
The flames flickered.
The shadows stretched.
And somewhere far beyond the palace—
The Moon shifted.
Watching.
Waiting.